Safety holdback-iron.



F. W. CHICKERING.

SAFETY HOLDBAOK IRON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1914.

1,107,898 Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

UNITED s'rariis ra rniv'r oent en.

FRANK W. CHICKE RING, OF HARDWIGK, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOHN J'. GALLAGHER, 0F HARDWICK, VERMONT.

SAFETY HoLnnAoK-mon.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WV. CI-IIGKER- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hardwick, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Holdback-Irons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hold backs for vehicle shafts, and has for its principal object to provide a device which is permanently secured to and carried by the shafts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and etfective means for securing the hold back line and preventing the same from becoming accidentally displaced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device which will materially strengthen the shafts and prevent the same from becoming broken.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully described in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which.-

Figure 1 is a side view of ashaft showing the hold back iron in place. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of the hold back attachment, and Fig. 3 is a side View of the device showing the method of as sembling.

Referring now to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates a horse which is standing between the shafts2. A portion of the harness is designated generally by the numeral 3 and is provided with the usual hold back straps t, which surround the hook in the usual manner and are secured by means of the buckle or similar fastening means 5.

The hold back attachment is designated generally by the numeral 6 and comprises the base plate 7 which is provided with a plurality of screw receiving apertures 8. A longitudinal slot 9 is formed in the base Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11,1914.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914. Serial No. 831,168.

scribed. A suitable hook-shaped body portion 11 is secured to the plate 7 near the end opposite the slotted end and is arranged to form the hook 12 which prevents the hold ha ck straps 4. from becoming displaced.

suitable leaf spring 13 is screwed or otherwise secured as at 14: to the plate and is bowed upwardly to conform to the shape of the hook as clearly shown in the drawings. The free end of the spring 13 extends downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2 and is provided with the upwardly curved extension 15 which is arranged to form the tongue to permit the hold back strap to be easily placed in position when the device is in use. The point where the spring 13 and the tongue meet is arranged to lie in the becoming accidentally removed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in use the hold back strap is passet around the hook as shown in the drawings and the free end thereof is secured by means of the buckle 5. It will be evident that when the strap 4: isagainst the hook 11 and backward pull. is exerted against the strap that the pull will be transmitted to the hook and thereby affect the shaft. In case of a runaway should the traces or tugs breakit will be apparent that the hold back will be released as the strap will pass between the plate '7 and the free end of the spring 13 and thus hang free from the shafts, thereby releasing the horse from the vehicle.

\Vhile in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A device of the character described comprising a base plate provided with a slot and a bowed leaf spring secured to the base near one end, metal between the slot and the lateral edges of the base plate being bowed npwardly, a hook member secured to the base plate near the end opposite the slot,

plate near the hook member and overlying l/Vitnesses: the same, the free end of said spring lying. B. J. llilnnoeny, in direct alin'ement with the slot and there- G. O. MILLER.

Gopiels of thisi patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. (1. 

